Elections 2023 in Latin America: Opportunities for a new cycle

Latin America is currently facing a new cycle of political leftism. Unfortunately, most of the governments of the continent are led by people from the left or from the extreme left, which, added to the dictatorships of the same political side that exist in the region, make the task more difficult for those of us who believe in a different model of freedom, democracy, equal opportunities, and development. However, the elections that will take place this year may be an opportunity for a change of political colour in Latin America and the beginning of a new cycle.

First of all, hopes are placed in those countries that will have general elections, where our ideas may regain power and remain in government in the coming years.

Particularly important will be the elections in Argentina (primaries on August 13, elections on October 22, and eventual presidential runoff on November 19), where some figures from our PRO member party could replace the weakened and lousy government of Fernández y Fernández.

In Paraguay (April 30) and in Guatemala (June 25), there are high probabilities that the candidate Santiago “Santi” Peña, supported by our member-party MDR–Partido Colorado, and the candidate Zury Ríos in alliance with our member the Unionist Party respectively, will win the elections.

In all these cases, the challenge will be to solve the economic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic and resume economic growth, deal with the security and crime problems that abound in the region, and promote a new public policy agenda for the benefit of those who need it most.

Another electoral battlefront will be given by the regional elections of Mexico (June 4) and Colombia (October 29). In both countries, our political family will have the challenge of counteracting the populist policies of AMLO and Petro, demonstrating that from the territories, in proximity to the daily realities of citizens, things can be done differently and better.

Finally, eyes will also be on the new constitutional process of Chile. After the failure at the polls of a proposal from the extreme left, Chileans will have to elect a constitutional council (May 7) and ratify a new proposal in a plebiscite to change the country’s current constitution. To the extent that this new text reflects in a better way the democratic values and the framework of freedoms that have allowed the growth and prosperity of Chile in the past decades, its eventual approval will be a clear signal for those continental rulers who intend to impose a reverse model.

We hope that at the end of 2023, and as the citizen pulse seems to indicate, the elections of the year will leave us with important victories that will allow us to begin to reverse the left-wing strength in the region and give way to new opportunities for the center-right in the continent.